The present invention relates generally to office machines, and particularly to a removable, low cost and effective user installable module to module attaching and securing apparatus for safely and effectively attaching and securing one machine module to another without tools.
Office machines include copiers, printers, fax machines, and the like. When delivered to an office after purchase, it is common for some such machines to require securing to a base, or for those of them that come as modules, for one module to be stacked on, and secured to, another module. This is becoming more of the case with some electrostatographic reproduction machines. As such, it is more economical to have a securing system that can be installed by the purchaser or user rather than by a technical service operator provided by the vendor.
Generally, the process of electrostatographic reproduction, as practiced in electrostatographic reproduction machines, includes charging a photoconductive member to a substantially uniform potential so as to sensitize the surface thereof. A charged portion of the photoconductive surface is exposed at an exposure station to a light image of an original document to be reproduced. Typically, an original document to be reproduced is placed in registration, either manually or by means of an automatic document handler, on a platen for such exposure.
Exposing an image of an original document as such at the exposure station, records an electrostatic latent image of the original image onto the photoconductive member. The recorded latent image is subsequently developed using a development apparatus by bringing a charged dry or liquid developer material into contact with the latent image. Two component and single component developer materials are commonly used. A typical two-component dry developer material has magnetic carrier granules with fusible toner particles adhering triobelectrically thereto. A single component dry developer material typically comprising toner particles only can also be used. The toner image formed by such development is subsequently transferred at a transfer station onto a copy sheet fed to such transfer station, and on which the toner particles image is then heated and permanently fused so as to form a xe2x80x9chardcopyxe2x80x9d of the original image.
As pointed out above, it is common for some such machines to require securing to a base, or for those of them that come as modules, for one module to be stacked on, and secured to, another module. As such, it is more economical to have a securing system that can be installed by the purchaser or user rather than by a technical service operator provided by the vendor.
Conventionally, such copiers and printers are more commonly attached and secured to a stand using several long unique, and often expensive screws which may require tools. The installation of these screws is generally awkward due to lack of easy access to installation holes which require detailed xe2x80x9cwordedxe2x80x9d instructions to enable a successful install. If it is difficult, the customer may not complete the install and securing task, undesirably risking damage and injury.
There is therefore a need for an attaching and securing apparatus that enables the customer""s ability to easily complete and successfully secure the product to the stand without tools and without worded instructions.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an attaching and securing apparatus for removably attaching a first module of an office machine to a second module thereof. The attaching and securing apparatus includes (a) a first lug member on the first module having a first set of aligning features and a first screw receiving hole; (b) a second lug member on the second module having a second screw receiving hole for aligning with the first screw receiving hole, and a second set of aligning features for aligning with the first set of aligning features; (c) a ratchet device located inside at least one of the first and the second screw receiving holes for receiving and retaining a screw inserted therethrough, the ratchet device including at least one biased and deflectable spring member having a first normal position for reducing a diameter of the at least one screw receiving hole, and a second deflected position for engaging threads of an inserted screw and for effectively retaining the inserted screw within the first and the second screw receiving holes; and (d) a removable screw for manually and easily inserting through the first and the second screw receiving holes, the screw having a root diameter, surface features, and an outside diameter essentially equal to the diameter of each of the first and the second screw receiving holes, thereby enabling easy manual securing and removable attachment of the first module of the office machine to the second module thereof.